A Dying Man's Cry
I've been reading Job for a few weeks and I came across chapter 35 where Elihu is pretty much telling Job how to seek God in the midst of his troubles. Elihu states in verses 9-13:
9 People cry out under a load of oppression;
they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’
12 He does not answer when people cry out
because of the arrogance of the wicked.
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
the Almighty pays no attention to it.
I wasn't there when George Floyd was pinned to the ground by the officer's knee. I haven't watched the video and to be honest, I don't want to do so. I don't want to watch someone die in 8 minutes, even though I see it in action films. It's easier to witness that way because it's not real. They may be a problem and if it is, I'll address that as I move on in life, but for now, my heart can't take it. I heard he called out for his mother while his neck was being pressed against the road. Can you imagine how loud that sounded? Can you imagine how his mom would have felt if she was alive to hear it? I'm certain her name was as sharp and necessary as the last few breaths he took.
My question to Elihu is what do you expect of someone being pinned down in a situation outside of their control where life is slowing being removed from their bodies? He was not at war. He was not trapped in unfamiliar territory, surrounded by animals in their natural habitat. He was here, in America, on the street. Most of us would be scared in the face of death because we didn't expect it to come so soon. It doesn't mean we lack a relationship with God, just means the relationship we have with time isn't that solid. It's people like Elihu that makes me thankful for an Old and New Testament God because He understands. He comprehends the pain. My friend James Aaron Snow sent a verse (Isiah 53:5), causing me to read Isiah 53 for context. It simply expresses how much Jesus (references "servant", but I'm assuming this is a preview of what's to come) will bare the weight of the entire world. He hears our cries, even if they are not His name.
There is some truth to what Eilhu is saying, but at the same time, there's also truth in George's last cry. He was drowning in a misunderstanding and the only person he could think of was his mom. Maybe he saw God through his mom like I did at a young age. Giving her props is expected, but she's quick to remind me of who gave her the strength to persevere. If we hear George's words, we hear his mother's name, but if we listen, we hear a man asking God to help him; help him like He helped Samson show the Philistines who God was one last time (Judges 16:28). He wanted God's help like Elijah sought God's assurance of rain after a long drought , even if it was a fist-sized cloud (1 Kings 18:44). When you're in a corner, you cry for help. George needed help. Us Christians need to understand that not everyone expresses the same. God knows the heart which is what we should seek, especially when one is on the verge of stopping in the hands of oppression. George's cry was heard around the world, sending a ripple effect of change. He did not leave in vain.
9 People cry out under a load of oppression;
they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?’
12 He does not answer when people cry out
because of the arrogance of the wicked.
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
the Almighty pays no attention to it.
I wasn't there when George Floyd was pinned to the ground by the officer's knee. I haven't watched the video and to be honest, I don't want to do so. I don't want to watch someone die in 8 minutes, even though I see it in action films. It's easier to witness that way because it's not real. They may be a problem and if it is, I'll address that as I move on in life, but for now, my heart can't take it. I heard he called out for his mother while his neck was being pressed against the road. Can you imagine how loud that sounded? Can you imagine how his mom would have felt if she was alive to hear it? I'm certain her name was as sharp and necessary as the last few breaths he took.
My question to Elihu is what do you expect of someone being pinned down in a situation outside of their control where life is slowing being removed from their bodies? He was not at war. He was not trapped in unfamiliar territory, surrounded by animals in their natural habitat. He was here, in America, on the street. Most of us would be scared in the face of death because we didn't expect it to come so soon. It doesn't mean we lack a relationship with God, just means the relationship we have with time isn't that solid. It's people like Elihu that makes me thankful for an Old and New Testament God because He understands. He comprehends the pain. My friend James Aaron Snow sent a verse (Isiah 53:5), causing me to read Isiah 53 for context. It simply expresses how much Jesus (references "servant", but I'm assuming this is a preview of what's to come) will bare the weight of the entire world. He hears our cries, even if they are not His name.
There is some truth to what Eilhu is saying, but at the same time, there's also truth in George's last cry. He was drowning in a misunderstanding and the only person he could think of was his mom. Maybe he saw God through his mom like I did at a young age. Giving her props is expected, but she's quick to remind me of who gave her the strength to persevere. If we hear George's words, we hear his mother's name, but if we listen, we hear a man asking God to help him; help him like He helped Samson show the Philistines who God was one last time (Judges 16:28). He wanted God's help like Elijah sought God's assurance of rain after a long drought , even if it was a fist-sized cloud (1 Kings 18:44). When you're in a corner, you cry for help. George needed help. Us Christians need to understand that not everyone expresses the same. God knows the heart which is what we should seek, especially when one is on the verge of stopping in the hands of oppression. George's cry was heard around the world, sending a ripple effect of change. He did not leave in vain.
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